Synonyms
Cesium; Cesium-133; UN1407 [ChemIDplus]
Category
Elements, Metallic
Description
Shiny crystals or silver metal; [Sax] Stored immersed in mineral oil; [Merck Index]
Sources/Uses
Used in photoelectric cells, photoemitter devices, scintillation counters, and an atomic clock; Also used in metallurgy to absorb gases and impurities and to dope catalysts; Cs-133 is the stable, naturally occurring isotope; Mineral sources are pollucite, lepidolite and rhodizite; Cs-137 is the radioactive isotope produced by atomic fission; [Merck Index, 2008] Cesium is released into the environment in pollucite mining and production of energy and electronics; Fly ash from coal burning power plants contains cesium; [ATSDR ToxProfiles]
Comments
Spontaneously ignites in air forming cesium oxides; [Sax] Animal feeding studies: cesium is relatively nontoxic; A man who ingested 34 mg/kg of cesium chloride after morning and evening meals for 36 days experienced anorexia, nausea, and diarrhea. EKG changes have been described in patients after ingestion of cesium chloride as a homeopathic remedy. [ATSDR ToxProfiles] See "Cesium hydroxide" and "Cesium, radioactive."
Vapor Pressure
1.5E-06 mm Hg
Explanatory Notes
Melting point equals 29 deg C; [HSDB]
Processes
Industrial Processes with risk of exposure: